ABSTRACT
Melissa Howard ended her day of classes at Carver High School with her Advanced Placement American Literature students. As her students were engaged in reading, she enjoyed a few quiet moments from the back of her classroom and reflected on the gifted teenagers in her class. Educators like Melissa Howard must understand that adolescence is a complex stage of life that involves many stressors. In our high-tech frenzied way of life, young people experience increased levels of stress in their academic, athletic, social, and emotional lives. Gifted young people characteristically known for their intensity may experience stress differently from typical adolescents. Because of this they need to be made aware of how stress is influencing their lives and learn effective coping strategies. With just a bit of planning, educators can facilitate class discussions about how stress impacts daily living and guide students in generating a rich collection of ways they can discover daily pockets of joy.
